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Manipur youth want a militancy free education zone

Living under the shadow of guns, blasts, extortion, and violence is difficult and studying in such an environment even more so. No surprise then that students in Manipur want education to be a militancy free zone.

This is because militants have been threatening these institutions and causing problems in their functioning.

Grenade attacks on educational institutions are common and teachers often receive threatening notes. Blasts, blockades, shutdowns and strikes have ensured that schools remain closed for days.

"The situation here affects students studies. Students are supposed to complete their syllabus within one year but they are unable to do so because of boycotts, strikes, and shutdowns. They cannot study in peace. Student bodies and senior citizens of the state had attended the protest meeting and took out a rally, demanding that education should be freed from disturbances and corruption.

Several resolutions were adopted during the meeting. One of them is a demand for exempting schools and colleges from purview of any shutdown or strike. Militancy is one of the main problems for the students. Militants demand money from their family or kidnap people creating tension for the students. They do not let them study peacefully, so these students want a free education zone," said N Chaoba Singh, President, All Manipur Students' Guardian Organization

"We face many problems so today we are demanding that we should get proper and peaceful education. There are many reasons why we cannot study properly and that may affect our future," said Priyanda, another student.

This is the main reason I left Manipur since two years ago for my higher study. I hate "Grenade Cultures". "It is my appeal that these things should not happen again. What everybody wants, be it NGOs, civil societies, media, civilians or the government is that this should not happen again. What has happened is really bad." Manipuris are increasingly vocalizing their anger against militancy, as they want peace and development. So do as I.